MG 5 EV (2021)

MG5 EV

THE UK’s fastest-growing car brand is taking a bold step into a brand new area of the market with All New MG5 EV, on sale from October 2020.

The newcomer is a unique offering in Britain’s EV market, offering the flexibility and practicality of a capacious estate car with great driving dynamics and absolutely no exhaust emissions. MG5 EV is the perfect addition to MG’s rapidly expanding electric car portfolio, alongside MG ZS EV and the new MG HS Plug-in, which together are expected to account for over 50% of MG’s UK sales in 2021. The brand is already the fourth most popular EV brand in the UK and the latest model will further strengthen its position.

Like all MG models, All New MG5 EV comes with a 7 year/80,000-mile fully transferable warranty as standard. It is powered by a 115kW electric motor (equivalent to 156PS), giving acceleration of 0-60mph in just over eight seconds, with a 52.2kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack that can be charged from zero to 80% in just 50 minutes using a rapid charger. MG5 EV has a WLTP approved combined range of 214 miles in normal day-to-day use. This rises to 276 miles if the car is used solely for urban driving, as confirmed by the WLTP City driving cycle.

Prices start from just £24,495 after the Plug-In Car Grant (currently £3,000) and users will benefit from 0% Benefit-in-Kind tax during the 2020-21 tax year or 1% in 2021-22.

Daniel Gregorious, MG’s Head of Sales & Marketing, said: “All-New MG5 EV is an important addition to the MG range and helps us to take the next step in our Momentum and Growth plan, positioning MG as a high-tech EV leader, the go-to brand for mainstream and affordable EVs.

“We now have a range of three plug-in cars with something for everyone and with MG5 EV we’ve turned over a new leaf with Europe’s first SW EV. With a big boot, a big range, and a small price tag, we really believe that MG5 EV is a real breakthrough in terms of value-for-money, practical EVs in the UK”.

BACKGROUND One of the reasons why many EVs feature SUV styling is their ability to accommodate battery packs and additional motors within the footprint of a relatively small car, which results in a ‘body on top’ stance.

All New MG5 EV bucks that trend. The model brings a brand new option to the market that optimizes its superior aerodynamic properties and better handling, ideal for high mileage fleet drivers, and those who value maximum driving efficiency, internal space, and driving dynamics.

It’s a formula that has already gone down well, with over 63,000 sold in other markets since 2018, its innovative battery layout allowing it to have more of a conventional stance than many EVs.

DESIGN Thanks to its unique body style, MG5 EV looks like no other electric car. It sits much lower than most, with the water-cooled battery pack integrated into the car’s chassis, giving it an extremely low center of gravity and excellent dynamics as well as a sleek, low-slung, and aerodynamic appearance.

It was designed from the outset to appeal to buyers in global markets, so it sports a classical silhouette - a smart, low-roofed tourer with a distinctive “kick” towards the rear of its swage line. It’s a handsome car from every angle, but the rear three-quarter view is particularly pleasing, with a lean and low appearance that proves how being battery-powered doesn’t have to affect practicality.

A total of five colors are available including two new choices – Piccadilly Blue and Westminster Silver. The others are tri-coat Dynamic Red, Black Pearl, or Arctic White.

That smart design continues into the cabin, the centerpiece of which is an eight-inch color touchscreen with smartphone mirroring capability, compatible with both Android Auto TM and Apple CarPlay TM.

POWERTRAIN MG5 EV features a lively 115kW motor, which is equivalent to 156PS. The motor sends power to the front wheels, which gives the car very similar handling characteristics to those of a conventional large C-segment SW, but with a more assured feel thanks to its low center of gravity.

The battery pack, meanwhile, is mounted beneath the floor of the car and has a total capacity of 52.2kWh.

CHARGING With a range of 214 miles on the WLTP cycle (rising to 276 miles for city use) MG5 EV has the ability to match the driving requirements of most individuals, while the ability to be charged from 0-80% charge in 50 minutes using a CCS connection makes it even more practical. A full charge at home using Type 2 fast charging can be attained in around eight and a half hours.

PRACTICALITY The large, versatile boot - the car’s true USP - is accessed from a wide tailgate opening. With the rear seats up and load cover in place, there are 464 liters of boot space, or with the load, cover retracted that extends to 578 liters with the rear seats still in place.

Drop the 60:40 folding seat back and the load capacity increases to an astonishing 1,456 liters.

But all that luggage capacity is not to the detriment of passenger space. Rear seat passengers are very well catered for with ample headroom and plenty of legroom, even when seated behind a tall driver. Those in the front can easily get comfortable thanks to the six-way adjustable driver’s and four-way adjustable passenger seats, with cloth upholstery on the Excite and leather-style upholstery on the Exclusive. The Exclusive also gets heated front seats and driver’s lumbar support.

FLEET OPPORTUNITY There’s a lot of focus on electric cars for company car drivers and fleet managers alike at present, with huge tax incentives.

For the user-chooser, MG5 EV offers 0% BIK tax in the 2020/21 tax year, 1% in 2021/22, and 2% in 2022/23. When you look at its list price versus other electric cars, the tax incentives are significant.

It’s an ideal choice for fleet managers, too, with a 7-year manufacturer’s warranty that’s transferable to the next owner, meaning not only peace of mind during the time they own or lease the car, but also helping residual values at the time of resale.

“There are multiple reasons why MG5 EV is the ideal fleet car,” says Geraint Isaac, National Fleet Sales Manager for MG Motor. “Whether it’s for multi-drop urban work or commuting to and from an office or to visit clients, MG5 EV’s combination of range, efficiency and ultra-low fleet running costs make it a very difficult prospect to ignore.”

SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY As well as the eight-inch color touchscreen that is compatible with both Android Auto TM and Apple CarPlay TM, MG5 EV is brimming with high tech and essential safety kit.

On the gadget side, it gets a six-speaker 3D audio system, a DAB radio, 4 USB ports, electric windows all-round, air conditioning, regenerative braking, cruise control with speed limiter, an auto-hold electric parking brake, rain-sensing wipers, and push-button starter, all as standard equipment.

In addition, MG5 EV also gets MG’s clever rotary gear selector, which debuted on the brand’s MG ZS EV last year. It’s also packed with active and passive safety systems, with front, side, and curtain airbags, electronic brake assist, ABS with EBD, twin ISOFIX points in the rear, a tire pressure monitoring system, Hill Start Assist, and seatbelt warnings for front and rear passengers.

MODEL RANGE, EQUIPMENT, AND PRICING The MG5 EV range consists of two versions, with prices starting at just £24,495 for the Excite (after the Plug-in Car Grant).

It comes with 16-inch ‘Meteor’ alloys, remote entry with push-button start, air conditioning, four electric windows, electrically adjustable mirrors, smartphone compatibility, an eight-inch color touchscreen and seven-inch driver information display, cruise control, a leather steering wheel, rotary gear selector, speed-sensing locking, three driving modes, rear parking sensors, and follow-me-home headlights, as well as a 7-year warranty.

The Exclusive version adds leather-style upholstery with heated front seats with six-way electric adjustment for the driver, one-shot electric rear windows, silver roof rails, electrically adjustable folding heated mirrors, smart keyless entry with push-button start, an automatically dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, and satellite navigation.

All New MG5 EV Exclusive is available from just £26,995 (after the Plug-in Car Grant).